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Pollen tubes are highly polarized tip-growing cells that depend on cytosolic pH gradients for signaling and growth. Autoinhibited plasma membrane proton (H+) ATPases (AHAs) have been proposed to energize pollen tube growth and underlie cell polarity, however, mechanistic evidence for this is lacking. Here we report that the combined loss of AHA6, AHA8, and AHA9 in Arabidopsis thaliana delays pollen germination and causes pollen tube growth defects, leading to drastically reduced fertility. Pollen tubes of aha mutants had reduced extracellular proton (H+) and anion fluxes, reduced cytosolic pH, reduced tip-to-shank proton gradients, and defects in actin organization. Furthermore, mutant pollen tubes had less negative membrane potentials, substantiating a mechanistic role for AHAs in pollen tube growth through plasma membrane hyperpolarization. Our findings define AHAs as energy transducers that sustain the ionic circuit defining the spatial and temporal profiles of cytosolic pH, thereby controlling downstream pH-dependent mechanisms essential for pollen tube elongation, and thus plant fertility.

Pollen tubes are highly polarized tip-growing cells that depend on cytosolic pH gradients for signaling and growth. Autoinhibited plasma membrane proton (H+) ATPases (AHAs) have been proposed to energize pollen tube growth and underlie cell polarity, however, mechanistic evidence for this is lacking. Here we report that the combined loss of AHA6, AHA8, and AHA9 in Arabidopsis thaliana delays pollen germination and causes pollen tube growth defects, leading to drastically reduced fertility. Pollen tubes of aha mutants had reduced extracellular proton (H+) and anion fluxes, reduced cytosolic pH, reduced tip-to-shank proton gradients, and defects in actin organization. Furthermore, mutant pollen tubes had less negative membrane potentials, substantiating a mechanistic role for AHAs in pollen tube growth through plasma membrane hyperpolarization. Our findings define AHAs as energy transducers that sustain the ionic circuit defining the spatial and temporal profiles of cytosolic pH, thereby controlling downstream pH-dependent mechanisms essential for pollen tube elongation, and thus plant fertility.

In vorliegendem Beitrag wird der problematische Entscheidungsfindungs- und Implementationsprozess bei der Einführung des Einwegpfands in Deutschland untersucht. Dabei wird gezeigt, dass es das Zusammenspiel dreier interdependenter Faktoren ist, wodurch sich der eigentümliche Verlauf dieser Prozesse erklären lässt: Die sich wandelnden Bundesratsmehrheiten mit ihren Auswirkungen auf das Strategiespektrum der Umweltministerien; die Interessenheterogenität innerhalb der beteiligten gesellschaftlichen Gruppen; und die Folgewirkung existierender Politiken. Um die Bedeutung dieser Faktoren auszuarbeiten, wird zunächst die Verabschiedung des novellierten Abfallbeseitigungsgesetzes von 1986 und der Verpackungsverordnung von 1991 nachvollzogen. Daran schließt die Analyse des Zustandekommens der Verpackungsverordnung von 1998 und die eines gescheiterten Änderungsversuches 2001 an. Die Untersuchung dieser Prozesse zeigt, dass die daraus resultierende Politik in ihrer konkreten Ausgestaltung eigentlich keine Befürworter mehr hatte. So werden auch die Implementationsschwierigkeiten nachvollziehbar, die zu Beginn des Jahrtausends von Seiten der Politik und vor allem seitens der Bürger zu beklagen waren., This case study investigates policy formulation and implementation of the German one-way deposit. It is argued that three interdependent factors are crucial in understanding the irrational and unintended results of these processes: The size of the oppositional majority within the Bundesrat as a veto point, which affected the strategies available to the Department of Environment; the heterogeneity of producer interests; and policy legacies. By analysing the political processes that led to packaging ordinances in 1991 and 1998 as well as a failed attempt to change the latter in 2001, the importance of these factors in explaining the particularities of the German can deposit are elaborated.

Plasma membrane H+-ATPase pumps build up the electrochemical H+ gradients that energize most other transport processes into and out of plant cells through channel proteins and secondary active carriers. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the AUTOINHIBITED PLASMA MEMBRANE H+-ATPases AHA1, AHA2 and AHA7 are predominant in root epidermal cells. In contrast to other H+-ATPases, we find that AHA7 is autoinhibited by a sequence present in the extracellular loop between transmembrane segments 7 and 8. Autoinhibition of pump activity was regulated by extracellular pH, suggesting negative feedback regulation of AHA7 during establishment of an H+ gradient. Due to genetic redundancy, it has proven difficult to test the role of AHA2 and AHA7, and mutant phenotypes have previously only been observed under nutrient stress conditions. Here, we investigated root and root hair growth under normal conditions in single and double mutants of AHA2 and AHA7. We find that AHA2 drives root cell expansion during growth but that, unexpectedly, restriction of root hair elongation is dependent on AHA2 and AHA7, with each having different roles in this process.

Plasma membrane H+-ATPase pumps build up the electrochemical H+ gradients that energize most other transport processes into and out of plant cells through channel proteins and secondary active carriers. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the AUTOINHIBITED PLASMA MEMBRANE H+-ATPases AHA1, AHA2 and AHA7 are predominant in root epidermal cells. In contrast to other H+-ATPases, we find that AHA7 is autoinhibited by a sequence present in the extracellular loop between transmembrane segments 7 and 8. Autoinhibition of pump activity was regulated by extracellular pH, suggesting negative feedback regulation of AHA7 during establishment of an H+ gradient. Due to genetic redundancy, it has proven difficult to test the role of AHA2 and AHA7, and mutant phenotypes have previously only been observed under nutrient stress conditions. Here, we investigated root and root hair growth under normal conditions in single and double mutants of AHA2 and AHA7. We find that AHA2 drives root cell expansion during growth but that, unexpectedly, restriction of root hair elongation is dependent on AHA2 and AHA7, with each having different roles in this process.

The Institute of Behavioral Finance Financial decision makers (lenders, insurers, advisees) often need to estimate how well others make decisions. Is knowledge a blessing or a curse when forecasting others' forecast accuracy? The authors show that this depends on its type. Within a single experimental setting, they identify and test 4 distinct information types that have different effects on forecast accuracy. First, the authors revisit the well-known "curse of knowledge" and show that it may have resulted from entirely arbitrary, uninformative anchors. Second, we show that in contrast, genuinely informative cues purged of anchoring potential enhance estimation accuracy. Third, richer, more detailed financial information has no effect even for participants better able to interpret it. Fourth, domain experts do not overimpute others' forecast ability. The authors conclude that in financial settings knowledge may be a blessing or a curse, or have no effect depending on its type.

The genomes of plants are marked by reoccurring events of whole-genome duplication. These events are major contributors to speciation and provide the genetic material for organisms to evolve ever greater complexity. Duplicated genes, referred to as paralogs, may be retained because they acquired new functions, or their gene products are in a dosage balance. Regulatory DNA elements - some of which are conserved across species and hence called conserved non-coding sequences (CNSs) - that control expression of duplicated genes are thus under similar purifying selection. In the present study, I have performed in-depth analyses of paralogous genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, their expression profile, their sequence conservation, and their functions, in order to investigate the relationship between gene expression and retention of paralogous genes. Paralogs with lower expression than their duplicate were found to be under less purifying selection. A gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis showed that paralogs with similar expression levels were enriched in GO terms related to macromolecular complexes, whereas paralogs with different expression levels were enriched in terms associated with stress responses. Compared to homologs in the close relative Arabidopsis lyrata, the lower expressed genes had less similar expression patterns than their higher expressed paralogs. Also, lower expressed genes had greater tissue specificity and fewer CNSs in promoters, introns, and 3’ untranslated regions. These results suggest that a concurrent purifying selection acts on coding and non-coding sequences of paralogous genes in A. thaliana. Mutational analyses of the promoters from a paralogous gene pair were performed in transgenic A. thaliana plants. The results revealed a 170-bp long DNA sequence that forms a bifunctional cis-regulatory module; it represses gene expression in the sporophyte while activating it in pollen. This finding is important for many aspects of

BackgroundDespite the utility of antiangiogenic drugs in ovarian cancer, efficacy remains limited due to resistance linked to alternate angiogenic pathways and metastasis. Therefore, we investigated PG545, an anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic agent which is currently in Phase I clinical trials, using preclinical models of ovarian cancer.MethodsPG545's anti-cancer activity was investigated in vitro and in vivo as a single agent, and in combination with paclitaxel, cisplatin or carboplatin using various ovarian cancer cell lines and tumour models.ResultsPG545, alone, or in combination with chemotherapeutics, inhibited proliferation of ovarian cancer cells, demonstrating synergy with paclitaxel in A2780 cells. PG545 inhibited growth factor-mediated cell migration and reduced HB-EGF-induced phosphorylation of ERK, AKT and EGFR in vitro and significantly reduced tumour burden which was enhanced when combined with paclitaxel in an A2780 model or carboplatin in a SKOV-3 model. Moreover, in the immunocompetent ID8 model, PG545 also significantly reduced ascites in vivo. In the A2780 maintenance model, PG545 initiated with, and following paclitaxel and cisplatin treatment, significantly improved overall survival. PG545 increased plasma VEGF levels (and other targets) in preclinical models and in a small cohort of advanced cancer patients which might represent a potential biomarker of response.ConclusionOur results support clinical testing of PG545, particularly in combination with paclitaxel, as a novel therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/2049-3002-2-13.].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/2049-3002-2-13.].

Tissue formation, the identity of cells, and the functions they fulfill, are results of gene regulation. The male gametophyte of plants, pollen, is outstanding in this respect as several hundred genes expressed in pollen are not expressed in the sporophyte. How pollen-specific genes are down-regulated in the sporophyte has yet to be established. In this study, we have performed a bioinformatics analysis of publicly available genome-wide epigenetics data of several sporophytic tissues. By combining this analysis with DNase I footprinting data, we assessed means by which the repression of pollen-specific genes in the Arabidopsis sporophyte is conferred. Our findings show that, in seedlings, the majority of pollen-specific genes are associated with histone-3 marked by mono- or trimethylation of Lys-27 (H3K27me1/H3K27me3), both of which are repressive markers for gene expression in the sporophyte. Analysis of DNase footprint profiles of pollen-specific genes in the sporophyte displayed closed chromatin proximal to the start codon. We describe a model of two-staged gene regulation in which a lack of nucleosome-free regions in promoters and histone modifications in open reading frames repress pollen-specific genes in the sporophyte.

Undertrykkelse af gener er en vigtig funktion for at kontrollere celleidentitet og dermed sikre den korrekte udvikling af multicellulære organismer. Planter gennemgår en livscyklus bestående af en omfattende diploid generation (sporofytten), der er efterfulgt af en kort haploid generation (hanlige og hunlige gametofytter, henholdsvis pollen og megagametofyt). På grund af gametofytternes unikke egenskaber og biologiske funktioner har de erhvervet en række gener, der udtrykkes specifikt i deres celler. I dette speciale er epigenetiske mekanismer præsenteret, der undertrykker disse gener i sporofytten. En genom-dækkende analyse af pollenspecifikke gener og deres associerede epigentiske mærker var udført. Det blev vist, at disse gener havde kondenseret promoterregioner, der gør dem utilgængelige for transkriptionsfaktorer, samt histon-3 lysin-27 trimethyleringer. I en analyse af enkelte gener blev der fundet epigenetiske modifikationer associeret med medlemmer af P-type ATPase familien. Denne store genfamilie består af forskellige isoformer tilhørerne særskilte underfamilier, 8 gener blev fundet specifikt udtrykt i pollen. I sporofytten var undertrykkelsen af nogle af disse tillagt histon-3 lysin-27 trimethylering samt RNA dirigeret DNA-methylering. Præsenteret data antyder, at undertrykkelsen af disse gener via RNA dirigeret DNAmethylering er sket som et resultat af deres placering ved centromerne., The repression of genes is a vital function in controlling cell identity and by this ensuring proper development of a multicellular organism. Plants undergo a lifecycle of an extensive diploid generation, the sporophyte, followed by a short living haploid generation, the male and female gamtophytes. Due to the gametophytes’ unique properties and biological functions, they acquired a cassette of genes specifically expressed in their cells. In this MSc thesis, epigenetic mechanisms are presented that repress these genes in tissues of the sporophyte. Performed was a genome wide analysis of pollen-specific genes and their associated epigenetic marks in the sporophyte. It was shown that these genes have condensed promoter regions making them inaccessible for transcription factors, and additionally carry trimethylation of histone-3 lysine-27. In an analysis for single genes, epigenetic modifications were found associated with members of the P-type ATPase family. This large gene family consists of subfamilies with redundant isoforms for distinct members, of which eight were found to be specifically expressed in pollen. In the sporophyte, repression of some of these genes was conferred by trimethylation of histone-3 lysine-27 and by RNA directed DNA methylation. Presented data suggest that the genes which acquired repression via the RNA directed DNA methylation pathway have done so as a result of their genomic location at centromeres.

Tissue formation, the identity of cells, and the functions they fulfill, are results of gene regulation. The male gametophyte of plants, pollen, is outstanding in this respect as several hundred genes expressed in pollen are not expressed in the sporophyte. How pollen-specific genes are down-regulated in the sporophyte has yet to be established. In this study, we have performed a bioinformatics analysis of publicly available genome-wide epigenetics data of several sporophytic tissues. By combining this analysis with DNase I footprinting data, we assessed means by which the repression of pollen-specific genes in the Arabidopsis sporophyte is conferred. Our findings show that, in seedlings, the majority of pollen-specific genes are associated with histone-3 marked by mono- or trimethylation of Lys-27 (H3K27me1/H3K27me3), both of which are repressive markers for gene expression in the sporophyte. Analysis of DNase footprint profiles of pollen-specific genes in the sporophyte displayed closed chromatin proximal to the start codon. We describe a model of two-staged gene regulation in which a lack of nucleosome-free regions in promoters and histone modifications in open reading frames repress pollen-specific genes in the sporophyte.

Undertrykkelse af gener er en vigtig funktion for at kontrollere celleidentitet og dermed sikre den korrekte udvikling af multicellulære organismer. Planter gennemgår en livscyklus bestående af en omfattende diploid generation (sporofytten), der er efterfulgt af en kort haploid generation (hanlige og hunlige gametofytter, henholdsvis pollen og megagametofyt). På grund af gametofytternes unikke egenskaber og biologiske funktioner har de erhvervet en række gener, der udtrykkes specifikt i deres celler. I dette speciale er epigenetiske mekanismer præsenteret, der undertrykker disse gener i sporofytten. En genom-dækkende analyse af pollenspecifikke gener og deres associerede epigentiske mærker var udført. Det blev vist, at disse gener havde kondenseret promoterregioner, der gør dem utilgængelige for transkriptionsfaktorer, samt histon-3 lysin-27 trimethyleringer. I en analyse af enkelte gener blev der fundet epigenetiske modifikationer associeret med medlemmer af P-type ATPase familien. Denne store genfamilie består af forskellige isoformer tilhørerne særskilte underfamilier, 8 gener blev fundet specifikt udtrykt i pollen. I sporofytten var undertrykkelsen af nogle af disse tillagt histon-3 lysin-27 trimethylering samt RNA dirigeret DNA-methylering. Præsenteret data antyder, at undertrykkelsen af disse gener via RNA dirigeret DNAmethylering er sket som et resultat af deres placering ved centromerne., The repression of genes is a vital function in controlling cell identity and by this ensuring proper development of a multicellular organism. Plants undergo a lifecycle of an extensive diploid generation, the sporophyte, followed by a short living haploid generation, the male and female gamtophytes. Due to the gametophytes’ unique properties and biological functions, they acquired a cassette of genes specifically expressed in their cells. In this MSc thesis, epigenetic mechanisms are presented that repress these genes in tissues of the sporophyte. Performed was a genome wide analysis of pollen-specific genes and their associated epigenetic marks in the sporophyte. It was shown that these genes have condensed promoter regions making them inaccessible for transcription factors, and additionally carry trimethylation of histone-3 lysine-27. In an analysis for single genes, epigenetic modifications were found associated with members of the P-type ATPase family. This large gene family consists of subfamilies with redundant isoforms for distinct members, of which eight were found to be specifically expressed in pollen. In the sporophyte, repression of some of these genes was conferred by trimethylation of histone-3 lysine-27 and by RNA directed DNA methylation. Presented data suggest that the genes which acquired repression via the RNA directed DNA methylation pathway have done so as a result of their genomic location at centromeres.

The role of sleep in patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome is not fully understood. Studies of polysomnographic and quantitative sleep electroencephalographic (EEG) measures have provided contradictory results, with few consistent findings in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). For the most part, it appears that delta EEG activity may provide the best discrimination between patients and healthy controls. A closer examination of delta activity in the very slow end of the frequency band is still to be considered in assessing sleep in CFS. The present preliminary study compared absolute and relative spectral power in conventional EEG bands and ultra-slow delta (0.5-0.8. Hz) between 10 young female patients with the CFS and healthy controls without psychopathology. In absolute measures, the ultra-slow delta power was lower in CFS, about one-fifth that of the control group. Other frequency bands did not differ between groups. Relative ultra-slow delta power was lower in patients than in controls. CFS is associated with lower ultra-slow (0.5-0.8. Hz) delta power, underscoring the importance of looking beyond conventional EEG frequency bands. From a neurophysiological standpoint, lower ultra-slow wave power may indicate abnormalities in the oscillations in membrane potential or a failure in neural recruitment in those with CFS. © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

We explore the scientific potential of virtual worlds for experimental economics in terms of the subject pools and experimental platforms they present. Our results offer tentative, qualified support for virtual world experimentation. Overall, the be- haviour of virtual subjects recruited, incentivised and observed within Second Life across a range of five standard experimental games was not found to differ significantly from established standard results. In addition, we identify certain methodological opportunities and challenges which confront virtual world experimenters.

The role of sleep in patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome is not fully understood. Studies of polysomnographic and quantitative sleep electroencephalographic (EEG) measures have provided contradictory results, with few consistent findings in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). For the most part, it appears that delta EEG activity may provide the best discrimination between patients and healthy controls. A closer examination of delta activity in the very slow end of the frequency band is still to be considered in assessing sleep in CFS. The present preliminary study compared absolute and relative spectral power in conventional EEG bands and ultra-slow delta (0.5-0.8. Hz) between 10 young female patients with the CFS and healthy controls without psychopathology. In absolute measures, the ultra-slow delta power was lower in CFS, about one-fifth that of the control group. Other frequency bands did not differ between groups. Relative ultra-slow delta power was lower in patients than in controls. CFS is associated with lower ultra-slow (0.5-0.8. Hz) delta power, underscoring the importance of looking beyond conventional EEG frequency bands. From a neurophysiological standpoint, lower ultra-slow wave power may indicate abnormalities in the oscillations in membrane potential or a failure in neural recruitment in those with CFS. © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The mitotic spindle is an essential molecular machine involved in cell division, whose composition has been studied extensively by detailed cellular biology, high-throughput proteomics, and RNA interference experiments. However, because of its dynamic organization and complex regulation it is difficult to obtain a complete description of its molecular composition. We have implemented an integrated computational approach to characterize novel human spindle components and have analysed in detail the individual candidates predicted to be spindle proteins, as well as the network of predicted relations connecting known and putative spindle proteins. The subsequent experimental validation of a number of predicted novel proteins confirmed not only their association with the spindle apparatus but also their role in mitosis. We found that 75% of our tested proteins are localizing to the spindle apparatus compared to a success rate of 35% when expert knowledge alone was used. We compare our results to the previously published MitoCheck study and see that our approach does validate some findings by this consortium. Further, we predict so-called "hidden spindle hub'', proteins whose network of interactions is still poorly characterised by experimental means and which are thought to influence the functionality of the mitotic spindle on a large scale. Our analyses suggest that we are still far from knowing the complete repertoire of functionally important components of the human spindle network. Combining integrated bio-computational approaches and single gene experimental follow-ups could be key to exploring the still hidden regions of the human spindle system.

Deirdre A Conroy, Anameti Usoro, Robert F Hoffmann, Kirk J Brower, Roseanne ArmitageUniversity of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI, USAPurpose: Sleep disturbances can lead to the onset and relapse of psychiatric disorders. However, the age at which this relationship begins and the role of sleep disturbances in the trajectory to the onset of a psychiatric disorder are still not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to explore, based on self- and parental-reports of mood symptoms, subjective and objective sleep in young children who are at risk of developing a psychiatric disorder but who have not yet met diagnostic criteria.Patients and methods: Twenty-one children (eleven girls) between the ages of 8 and 11 (mean age = 9.7 years, standard deviation = 1.1 years) were dichotomized into low mood (LM) and not low mood (NLM) groups based on scoring below or above the median threshold score on at least two of the following questionnaires: the Child Depressive Rating Scale (CDRS), Weinberg Screening Affective Scale (WSAS), and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS). The children completed sleep diaries and underwent two nights (for adaptation and baseline) of polysomnography. Sleep stages and sleep microarchitecture (alpha, sigma, beta, and delta) in the first half of the night, were analyzed.Results: Self-reported sleep disturbance accounted for 72% of the variance (F[3, 20] = 15, P < 0.005) of the Weinberg Screening Affective Scale in LM children. LM children had fewer arousals at night, but awakened earlier than NLM children. Regardless of mood, girls had more sleep disturbance, as well as lower alpha, beta, and delta power in the first half of the night, compared to boys. Girls with LM had shorter sleep times and a lower percentage of rapid eye movement sleep.Conclusions: Girls with and without LM, and without a clinical diagnosis of depression, showed more sleep disturbances than boys of the same age. Sleep disturbances e

The mitotic spindle is an essential molecular machine involved in cell division, whose composition has been studied extensively by detailed cellular biology, high-throughput proteomics, and RNA interference experiments. However, because of its dynamic organization and complex regulation it is difficult to obtain a complete description of its molecular composition. We have implemented an integrated computational approach to characterize novel human spindle components and have analysed in detail the individual candidates predicted to be spindle proteins, as well as the network of predicted relations connecting known and putative spindle proteins. The subsequent experimental validation of a number of predicted novel proteins confirmed not only their association with the spindle apparatus but also their role in mitosis. We found that 75% of our tested proteins are localizing to the spindle apparatus compared to a success rate of 35% when expert knowledge alone was used. We compare our results to the previously published MitoCheck study and see that our approach does validate some findings by this consortium. Further, we predict so-called "hidden spindle hub'', proteins whose network of interactions is still poorly characterised by experimental means and which are thought to influence the functionality of the mitotic spindle on a large scale. Our analyses suggest that we are still far from knowing the complete repertoire of functionally important components of the human spindle network. Combining integrated bio-computational approaches and single gene experimental follow-ups could be key to exploring the still hidden regions of the human spindle system.

International Workshop on Security Measurements and Metrics, ESEM 11 2011 ACM-IEEE International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measuremen Banff Alberta Canada September 21 - 22, 2011., In this short paper we outline the problems of developing a cyber security alert warning system. We review some of the current warning systems and examine how they are related to the security metrics area. We then propose a socio-technical coordinate system to scale and classify cyber security warnings along with security posture levels.

Stewart Kowalski, Robert Hoffmann, Rohan Jain, Majid MumtazDepartment of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Swedenstewart@dsv.su.se, robe-hof@dsv.su.se, roha-jai@dsv.su.se, mmumtaz@dsv.su.se, New social eco-systems and globalization are creating new challenges to educational institutions. Teachers need now not only to consider personal differences among their students, but also to take care of different cultural behaviors. Teacher are now expected to provide both a standardized and individual knowledge transfer to their students. This conflict may be resolved by utilizing results from artificial intelligence research, in particular chat bots. By giving the teacher a virtual assistant who can take care of the basic knowledge provisioning, the teacher has more freedom to handle the complex situations. In this paper we provide a short overview of relevant research that we used to build our own knowledge bot. The results from using the bot in teaching a undergrad class in Sweden is presented, together with an analysis and some suggestions for future work.

The regulation of the alternation between rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) and non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) is still a matter of much debate. It is also an important topic for psychiatric research, since both sleep components show anomalies in Major Depressive Disorders (MDD) and related syndromes. In previous studies on healthy controls, we showed preferential links of the number of ultradian cycles with REMS-related variables rather than with NREMS-related variables. REMS Latency (RL), for example, was shown to be inversely related to the number of cycles. The present study replicates these analyses in a group of 29 patients with MDD (age range: 23-56; 16 females), after two adaptation nights. Results showed significant correlations between the number of cycles and REMS, and between the number of cycles and RL, whereas correlations with NREMS were not significant. This indirectly supports regulation hypotheses considering REMS as the main focus of the oscillation, inhibiting and interrupting NREMS. Also, when the RL is shorter, there are more ultradian cycles than when the RL is long. This adds an interesting element in the elucidation of the physiological meaning of anomalies of RL. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The regulation of the alternation between rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) and non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) is still a matter of much debate. It is also an important topic for psychiatric research, since both sleep components show anomalies in Major Depressive Disorders (MDD) and related syndromes. In previous studies on healthy controls, we showed preferential links of the number of ultradian cycles with REMS-related variables rather than with NREMS-related variables. REMS Latency (RL), for example, was shown to be inversely related to the number of cycles. The present study replicates these analyses in a group of 29 patients with MDD (age range: 23-56; 16 females), after two adaptation nights. Results showed significant correlations between the number of cycles and REMS, and between the number of cycles and RL, whereas correlations with NREMS were not significant. This indirectly supports regulation hypotheses considering REMS as the main focus of the oscillation, inhibiting and interrupting NREMS. Also, when the RL is shorter, there are more ultradian cycles than when the RL is long. This adds an interesting element in the elucidation of the physiological meaning of anomalies of RL. © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Apr, The remarkable progress in characterizing the human genome sequence, exemplified by the Human Genome Project and the HapMap Consortium, has led to the perception that knowledge and the tools (e.g., microarrays) are sufficient for many if not most biomedical research efforts. A large amount of data from diverse studies proves this perception inaccurate at best, and at worst, an impediment for further efforts to characterize the variation in the human genome. Because variation in genotype and environment are the fundamental basis to understand phenotypic variability and heritability at the population level, identifying the range of human genetic variation is crucial to the development of personalized nutrition and medicine. The Human Variome Project (HVP; http://www.humanvariomeproject.org/) was proposed initially to systematically collect mutations that cause human disease and create a cyber infrastructure to link locus specific databases (LSDB). We report here the discussions and recommendations from the 2008 HVP planning meeting held in San Feliu de Guixols, Spain, in May 2008.

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Apr, The remarkable progress in characterizing the human genome sequence, exemplified by the Human Genome Project and the HapMap Consortium, has led to the perception that knowledge and the tools (e.g., microarrays) are sufficient for many if not most biomedical research efforts. A large amount of data from diverse studies proves this perception inaccurate at best, and at worst, an impediment for further efforts to characterize the variation in the human genome. Because variation in genotype and environment are the fundamental basis to understand phenotypic variability and heritability at the population level, identifying the range of human genetic variation is crucial to the development of personalized nutrition and medicine. The Human Variome Project (HVP; http://www.humanvariomeproject.org/) was proposed initially to systematically collect mutations that cause human disease and create a cyber infrastructure to link locus specific databases (LSDB). We report here the discussions and recommendations from the 2008 HVP planning meeting held in San Feliu de Guixols, Spain, in May 2008.

We introduce the first meta-service for information extraction in molecular biology, the BioCreative MetaServer (BCMS; http://bcms.bioinfo.cnio.es/). This prototype platform is a joint effort of 13 research groups and provides automatically generated annotations for PubMed/Medline abstracts. Annotation types cover gene names, gene IDs, species, and protein-protein interactions. The annotations are distributed by the meta-server in both human and machine readable formats (HTML/XML). This service is intended to be used by biomedical researchers and database annotators, and in biomedical language processing. The platform allows direct comparison, unified access, and result aggregation of the annotations.

The invention provides a submersible load cell for measuring gas buoyancy which includes a shell which has an open bottom so that gas can be introduced to make the shell positively buoyant. A framework may be provided for supporting the shell for vertical movement so that a change in buoyancy results in the shell exerting a corresponding upward force. At least one hydraulic actuator is mounted between the framework and the shell for registering a pressure which corresponds to the degree of upward force or positive buoyancy of the shell. An indicator device can be connected to the hydraulic actuator for indicating the change in buoyancy of the shell as gas is introduced therein., Supersedes PAT-APPL-617 912-75, AD-D002 443.

An analysis is provided concerning the serious, adverse effects of international political terrorism on the United States and other democratic nations. A discussion is presented regarding what terrorism really is and how it has grown in importance and power. Evidence is presented to suggest that international terrorism will probably become an even greater problem in the future. The basic thesis argues that the United States is not coping effectively with terrorism. A large measure of this failure is attributed to the fact that many American leaders do not recognize terrorism for what it truly is--a form of indirect, low-intensity warfare being waged against western style democracy. The absence of a comprehensive, coherent national strategy is pointed out. The authors state that development of a systematic strategy which employs the full range of national instruments of power in an integrated fashion is the key to making progress in fighting terrorism. Thoughts on how this national strategy may be created are provided along with some specific recommendations for the Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force.

von R. Hoffmann, Progr.-Nr. 524

von Robert Hoffmann

CD8+ T lymphocytes play a major role in antiviral immune defense. Their significance for acute hepatitis C is unclear. Our aim was to correlate the CD8+ T cell response with the outcome of infection. Eighteen patients with acute hepatitis C and 19 normal donors were studied. Hepatitis C virus (HCV)—specific CD8+ T cells were identified in the enzyme-linked immunospot assay by their interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production after specific stimulation. The highest numbers of IFN-γ—producing HCV-specific CD8+ T cells were found in patients with acute hepatitis C and a self-limited course of disease during the first 6 months after onset of disease, but these numbers dropped thereafter to undetectable levels. The differences in responsiveness between patients with self-limited disease versus patients with a chronic course were statistically significant (P < .001). Our data show that the number of IFN—γ-producing HCV-specific CD8+ T cells during the first 6 months after onset of disease is associated with eradication of the HCV infection

We investigate how the experience of influencing and of being influenced impacts on a subsequent, immediate attempt to influence and be influenced. We conduct an experiment using participant dyads matched in a round-robin design which systematically measures the influence one individual has on another in a decision task using a short, anonymous, computer mediated, text based exchange. Findings show that being influenced in a round of the task tends to be positively related to being influenced in the subsequent two rounds with the effect weakening each time. We find no impact on the ability to influence.

We propose that religion impacts trust and trustworthiness in ways that depend on how individuals are socially identified and connected. Religiosity and religious affiliation may serve as markers for statistical discrimination. Further, affiliation to the same religion may enhance group identity, or affiliation irrespective of creed may lend social identity, and in turn induce taste-based discrimination. Religiosity may also relate to general prejudice. We test these hypotheses across three culturally diverse countries. Participants' willingness to discriminate, beliefs of how trustworthy or trusting others are, as well as actual trust and trustworthiness are measured incentive compatibly. We find that interpersonal similarity in religiosity and affiliation promote trust through beliefs of reciprocity. Religious participants also believe that those belonging to some faith are trustworthier, but invest more trust only in those of the same religion—religiosity amplifies this effect. Across non-religious categories, whereas more religious participants are more willing to discriminate, less religious participants are as likely to display group biases.

Purpose: The potential for e-commerce is limited by a trust deficit when traders do not interact in a physical, bricks-and-mortar context. The theory of information richness posits that equivocal interactions, such as ones requiring trust, can be facilitated through communication media that transmit multiple cues interactively. We examine the potential of information-rich virtual worlds to reduce this trust deficit compared with more traditional web-based e-tailing environments. Design/Methodology: Rather than focusing on stated intentions we adopt an experimental approach to measure behaviour. Participants receive performance-related financial incentives to perform trust games in different information-rich treatments that represent three retail environments: a physical environment representing bricks-and-mortar trade, an electronic environment representing web-based online retailing and a virtual environment representing virtual world retail. Findings: We find that the two dimensions of trust significantly differ between the treatments. In particular, as hypothesised, both trustingness and trustworthiness are higher in the virtual than in the electronic environment. However, contrary to our hypotheses, physical trade is not associated with greater trust than virtual trade. Implications: We extend previous research by demonstrating how the information richness of the virtual world interface can promote e-commerce by deepening trust between trading partners. Our research also complements existing work that approaches product and service interfaces through the lens of servicescapes. The findings also contribute towards the development of services marketing practice and the design of e-commerce environments.

The economic miracle of the Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Asia has been attributed to their unique economic culture forged from Confucian thought and the emigration experience. However, this Spirit of Overseas Chinese Capitalism (SOCC) hypothesis, based largely on qualitative research, has not been validated through quantitative work. This paper provides, for the first time, empirical evidence from a values survey and experiment which show that only some of the hypothesised SOCC values and behaviours differentiate the Chinese from less economically successful ethnic groups in Malaysia. While we find no evidence that Confucian values explain the success of the Overseas Chinese we do find it may lie in their (a) more conductive work values and (b) greater intra-ethnic cooperativeness, both accentuated by the emigration experience.

We investigate how the experience of influencing and of being influenced impacts on a subsequent, immediate attempt to influence and be influenced. We conduct an experiment using participant dyads matched in a round-robin design which systematically measures the influence one individual has on another in a decision task using a short, anonymous, computer mediated, text based exchange. Findings show that being influenced in a round of the task tends to be positively related to being influenced in the subsequent two rounds with the effect weakening each time. We find no impact on the ability to influence.

We propose that religion impacts trust and trustworthiness in ways that depend on how individuals are socially identified and connected. Religiosity and religious affiliation may serve as markers for statistical discrimination. Further, affiliation to the same religion may enhance group identity, or affiliation irrespective of creed may lend social identity, and in turn induce taste-based discrimination. Religiosity may also relate to general prejudice. We test these hypotheses across three culturally diverse countries. Participants' willingness to discriminate, beliefs of how trustworthy or trusting others are, as well as actual trust and trustworthiness are measured incentive compatibly. We find that interpersonal similarity in religiosity and affiliation promote trust through beliefs of reciprocity. Religious participants also believe that those belonging to some faith are trustworthier, but invest more trust only in those of the same religion—religiosity amplifies this effect. Across non-religious categories, whereas more religious participants are more willing to discriminate, less religious participants are as likely to display group biases.

Purpose: The potential for e-commerce is limited by a trust deficit when traders do not interact in a physical, bricks-and-mortar context. The theory of information richness posits that equivocal interactions, such as ones requiring trust, can be facilitated through communication media that transmit multiple cues interactively. We examine the potential of information-rich virtual worlds to reduce this trust deficit compared with more traditional web-based e-tailing environments. Design/Methodology: Rather than focusing on stated intentions we adopt an experimental approach to measure behaviour. Participants receive performance-related financial incentives to perform trust games in different information-rich treatments that represent three retail environments: a physical environment representing bricks-and-mortar trade, an electronic environment representing web-based online retailing and a virtual environment representing virtual world retail. Findings: We find that the two dimensions of trust significantly differ between the treatments. In particular, as hypothesised, both trustingness and trustworthiness are higher in the virtual than in the electronic environment. However, contrary to our hypotheses, physical trade is not associated with greater trust than virtual trade. Implications: We extend previous research by demonstrating how the information richness of the virtual world interface can promote e-commerce by deepening trust between trading partners. Our research also complements existing work that approaches product and service interfaces through the lens of servicescapes. The findings also contribute towards the development of services marketing practice and the design of e-commerce environments.

The economic miracle of the Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Asia has been attributed to their unique economic culture forged from Confucian thought and the emigration experience. However, this Spirit of Overseas Chinese Capitalism (SOCC) hypothesis, based largely on qualitative research, has not been validated through quantitative work. This paper provides, for the first time, empirical evidence from a values survey and experiment which show that only some of the hypothesised SOCC values and behaviours differentiate the Chinese from less economically successful ethnic groups in Malaysia. While we find no evidence that Confucian values explain the success of the Overseas Chinese we do find it may lie in their (a) more conductive work values and (b) greater intra-ethnic cooperativeness, both accentuated by the emigration experience.

We investigate how the experience of influencing and of being influenced impacts on a subsequent, immediate attempt to influence and be influenced. We conduct an experiment using participant dyads matched in a round-robin design which systematically measures the influence one individual has on another in a decision task using a short, anonymous, computer mediated, text based exchange. Findings show that being influenced in a round of the task tends to be positively related to being influenced in the subsequent two rounds with the effect weakening each time. We find no impact on the ability to influence.

We propose that religion impacts trust and trustworthiness in ways that depend on how individuals are socially identified and connected. Religiosity and religious affiliation may serve as markers for statistical discrimination. Further, affiliation to the same religion may enhance group identity, or affiliation irrespective of creed may lend social identity, and in turn induce taste-based discrimination. Religiosity may also relate to general prejudice. We test these hypotheses across three culturally diverse countries. Participants' willingness to discriminate, beliefs of how trustworthy or trusting others are, as well as actual trust and trustworthiness are measured incentive compatibly. We find that interpersonal similarity in religiosity and affiliation promote trust through beliefs of reciprocity. Religious participants also believe that those belonging to some faith are trustworthier, but invest more trust only in those of the same religion—religiosity amplifies this effect. Across non-religious categories, whereas more religious participants are more willing to discriminate, less religious participants are as likely to display group biases.

Purpose: The potential for e-commerce is limited by a trust deficit when traders do not interact in a physical, bricks-and-mortar context. The theory of information richness posits that equivocal interactions, such as ones requiring trust, can be facilitated through communication media that transmit multiple cues interactively. We examine the potential of information-rich virtual worlds to reduce this trust deficit compared with more traditional web-based e-tailing environments. Design/Methodology: Rather than focusing on stated intentions we adopt an experimental approach to measure behaviour. Participants receive performance-related financial incentives to perform trust games in different information-rich treatments that represent three retail environments: a physical environment representing bricks-and-mortar trade, an electronic environment representing web-based online retailing and a virtual environment representing virtual world retail. Findings: We find that the two dimensions of trust significantly differ between the treatments. In particular, as hypothesised, both trustingness and trustworthiness are higher in the virtual than in the electronic environment. However, contrary to our hypotheses, physical trade is not associated with greater trust than virtual trade. Implications: We extend previous research by demonstrating how the information richness of the virtual world interface can promote e-commerce by deepening trust between trading partners. Our research also complements existing work that approaches product and service interfaces through the lens of servicescapes. The findings also contribute towards the development of services marketing practice and the design of e-commerce environments.